Whereas Alicia Keys's debut was in essence a musical overview that recorded snapshots of her life over the five years it took to complete, her follow up, The Diary Of , is the scribbled footnotes of the very busy two years since. She's certainly kept tabs on what's been going on--the old-skool R&B influences so evident on her debut have become overshadowed by the kind of people she previously stood apart from.
Witness "Karma"; with its harsh beats, undulating background string section and funky, slightly dirty groove, it could easily be a Justin Timberlake song, as could the Timberland-produced "Heartburn". She plays it safe on "If I Ain't Got You" and "Dia...
ALICIA KEYS No One (2007 UK 2-track CD single - Written & produced by her long-time collaborator Kerry Krucial Brothers & Dirty Harry; including a Curtis Lynch mix picture sleeve)